Mike Tuke’s

Shape and surface features of the earth Ping pong ball D If the earth were the size of a ping pong ball it would be smoother than the ball because although the relief is 20km the diameter is 12,000km. Size of the earth  Pa I F 15 min Students work out the size of the earth from the same data that Erasthenes used 2000 years ago. The height of the oceanic and continental crust  Pa I F 30 min Students plot the percentage area of land/ocean at each depth and this shows that most of the earth rests at two distinct levels. The relative heights of the light and thick continental crust and the dense and thin oceanic crust is explained by isostasy. Surface divisions of the earth Pa P F 15 min Students use data on maps to describe in words the seismicity, vulcanicity, topography etc for ridges, abyssal plains, trenches and island arcs, platforms, shields and mountain belts. Earth patterns Pa P F 30 min Students are provided with maps showing the major features of the earth’s surface, the location and depth of earthquakes, the location and type of volcanic activity, and the age of the rocks on the land and on the sea floor. They must answer questions and work out what the relationship is between seismic and volcanic activity, and mountains belts and trenches etc.  (Modified from the Open University).  

Earth Science Activities and Demonstrations